


A Perfect Day

by adrianna_m_scovill



Category: Rising from the Dust
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Weddings, jackriel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-22
Updated: 2019-11-22
Packaged: 2021-02-18 01:40:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21519814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adrianna_m_scovill/pseuds/adrianna_m_scovill
Summary: Did I write a fanfic for my own book/characters? Yes. Am I sorry? Not really. Please don't unsubscribe ;)
Relationships: Jack Windsor/Gabriel Santiago
Comments: 5
Kudos: 19





	A Perfect Day

Gabriel had a phone pressed to his ear and another held in his hand. “Benny, where is the band and more importantly, where are _you_?” he asked while using his left thumb to text: **Where are you?**

“Their van broke down, but we’re on our way, I’m driving them myself. We’ll be there in five minutes, I promise.”

“Just get yourself—You’re driving? What?”

“Alex’s car.”

Gabriel looked up at the teenager standing beside him. “Does Alex _know_ you have his car?”

Alex waved a hand in the air. He was agitated, but not because Ben had commandeered his vehicle. “It’s fine. Where’s Dad?” he asked in a stage whisper.

Gabriel glanced down at the phone in his left hand: **Five minutes. Don’t start without me.** He held the cell up so Alex could see the screen, and Alex rolled his eyes, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Don’t worry, _Papi_ ,” Ben said into Gabriel’s ear. “It’ll all work out.”

“Just get here safely. I love you.”

“Love you, too,” Ben said.

As soon as he’d disconnected the call, Gabriel handed the phone back to Natalie. “Could you please ask Arnie to get another case of wine? We’re going to need more alcohol.”

“I already sent him,” she said, patting Gabriel’s arm.

“If Dad’s late for his own wedding, I’m gonna kick his ass,” Alex said.

Gabriel tried to give the boy a stern look, but couldn’t quite manage. “He’ll be here. Why don’t you go wait for Ben and make sure they don’t need—Shit. Alex,” Gabriel said, grabbing the teenager’s arm as he started past him and instead turning him toward the reception hall. “No. Go tell the florist to get the gardenias off table number one, your grandmother’s allergic. There’s a special centerpiece for that table, have them change the runner just to be safe—”

“I’m on it, Mr. S,” Alex said, already headed toward the entrance to the hall.

“Thank you, _mijo_.” Gabriel looked at his phone as he got another text: **Almost there, promise.** Gabriel bit back the sound of frustration and looked up at Natalie. “What?” he asked.

“I didn’t want to bother you, I tried to get them to fix it but they said there’s no time…”

“Fix what?” Gabriel glanced at his watch. “Are the guests already seated?”

“Most of them. Jack’s family is all here.”

“Fix what?” Gabriel repeated.

“The cake says…Jack and Gabrielle,” Natalie said, and her tone was apologetic even though there was a flash of anger in her eyes.

Gabriel laughed in spite of himself. “Of course it does,” he muttered. He gestured at the phone in her hand when it buzzed. “Is that Ben?”

She looked down at the screen. “He’s out front, they’re going to come in and set up the equipment. Where’s the minister?”

“She should be in with the guests. Can we just smear off the last two letters?”

“It won’t be pretty.”

Gabriel rolled his shoulders. He was sweating inside his tux. The air conditioning was broken. There were currently half a dozen oscillating fans hard at work cooling the waiting guests. “Leave it, it doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it—”

“Please go make sure the minister is ready to start when Jack gets here.”

“Okay,” Natalie said. She leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “He’ll be here,” she assured him quietly.

Gabriel nodded, turning as Alex came over. “Well?”

“They can’t find the centerpiece for Grandma’s table so I told them to just bring in a vase of roses. Is that okay?”

“Perfect, thank you,” Gabriel said, giving the boy’s cheek an affectionate pat. “Ben and the band are pulling up, please help them get their equipment in here and then I promise you can punch out.”

Alex laughed. “Just slip me an extra five in my allowance,” he teased. He started toward the door, then paused and met Gabriel’s gaze. “If Dad’s watching somewhere, I know he’s happy that you and Jack found each other. And so am I.”

Gabriel blinked as tears burned his eyes. He reached out and pulled Alex into a quick hug, kissing his temple. “Wherever Jeff is, he’s so incredibly proud of you,” he murmured. “And so am I.” He drew back and straightened the boy’s tie. “Now go on, this wedding is supposed to start soon.”

“Can’t believe Dad got called into work on his wedding day,” Alex muttered in disgust.

“Someone has to keep the world safe for the rest of us,” Gabriel said. He felt a rush of relief when he caught sight of Ben hauling an amp through the door.

“Sorry, sorry,” his son said. He was dressed in his suit, but it was only slightly wrinkled. “I’ll help them carry shit in and then they’ll finish setting up in the reception hall during the ceremony. It’ll be fine.”

“I’m just glad you’re here,” Gabriel said, and he meant it. He didn’t care if the reception had live music, or if the cake had his name misspelled, or if the tables had mismatched flowers. He only cared about the people he loved.

Alex had already hurried over to help with the band equipment, and Gabriel found himself alone for a moment. He closed his eyes, taking a few seconds to feel the floor beneath his shoes and to listen to the rumble of conversation from the guests waiting in the other room.

“Gabe.”

He turned at the sound of Jack’s voice, his heart skipping in his chest.

“Don’t be mad,” Jack said as Gabriel’s gaze landed on him.

Jack was still in his uniform, but his shirt was unbuttoned to reveal the white undershirt beneath. His hair was a disaster, and he had a bruise darkening below his left eye. His clothes and shoes were filthy.

He was holding a dog under his right arm—a beagle mix, from the looks of it, and it couldn’t be more than a year old. It had one eye and a healed scar where the other should be. Its forepaws were caked in mud, and drool was dripping from its happily-lolling tongue. Its tail was thumping steadily against Jack’s side.

Jack’s expression was sheepish and apologetic. He also looked exhausted.

At the sight of him, Gabriel released a breath he hadn’t known he was holding and started across the room. Jack met him halfway, adjusting the squirming dog against his hip.

“I’m so sorry you had to deal with everything yourself,” Jack said, even though he looked like he’d had a much harder day than Gabriel. “I didn’t mean—”

Gabriel silenced him with a quick, soft kiss against his lips. The dog wiggled in Jack’s grip, its tail wagging harder than ever as it strained forward to lap eagerly at Gabriel’s face. Gabriel smiled and rubbed absently behind the dog’s ear, but his focus was on Jack when he asked, “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” Jack said. Gabriel ran a gentle thumb over the bruise under his eye. “We can talk about it later.”

“We have a dog, now?” Gabriel asked, arching an eyebrow as he glanced at the animal.

Jack answered with a tired smile. “He’s had a very rough day,” he said. “Let me find somewhere to put him and—”

“Hey,” Gabriel said. He smiled, putting a hand against Jack’s jaw. “You wanna get married?”

Jack sighed, and most of the tension eased from his shoulders. “God, yes,” he said with a grin.

“The minister is ready—What the hell?” Natalie asked, drawing up short at the sight of Jack.

“You brought a _dog_?” Ben said as he and Alex appeared from the other direction.

“Can we keep it?” Alex asked.

“His name is Ricochet,” Jack said. “Here, take him and find someplace to—”

“No,” Gabriel cut in, reaching for the dog. “Give him to me. Alex and Ben, get Jack in his tux.”

Natalie grabbed the dog before Gabriel could get hold of him, and Ricochet happily licked at her face as Jack released the animal into her arms. “I’ll take the dog, he’ll get you all muddy,” she said.

“Now _you’re_ all muddy,” Gabriel objected.

“I’m not getting married,” she reminded him. “You just stand here and relax for a minute, everything is going to be fine.”

“Come on, Dad,” Alex said as he and Ben pulled Jack toward the bathrooms. “We’re gonna hose you off.”

Gabriel laughed. “Go easy on him, guys, I need him in one piece. I don’t want to do this wedding thing by myself.”

“Don’t worry, we’ll make him presentable and have him out in two minutes,” Ben promised.

“Well, as presentable as he can be,” Alex said.

“Hey,” Jack said. He tried to pull away from his son and future stepson, but they tightened their grips on his arms and steered him steadily toward the bathroom. “Wait, I need another kiss,” he objected.

“Shoulda thought about that before you were late to your own wedding,” Alex admonished.

“Kissing is for after the vows,” Ben agreed.

Gabriel grinned at his soon-to-be-husband. “Did you remember your vows?”

“Please, like I’d have any trouble gushing about how much I love you,” Jack said. He stuck his tongue out to lighten the mood, because he could see the emotion shining in Gabriel’s eyes. “Wait for me, I’ll be right back.”

“Why not, I don’t have anything else planned for today,” Gabriel said.

“Love ya, babe,” Jack called as Ben and Alex shoved him into the bathroom.

Gabriel rolled his eyes and smiled at Natalie and the one-eyed dog held in her arms. Ricochet offered him a friendly grin, and Gabriel gave the dog’s ears another scratch.

In just a few minutes, Gabriel and Jack would be standing in front of all of their friends and family, with their sons by their sides, to officially promise themselves to each other.

All in all, Gabriel thought the day felt pretty close to perfect.


End file.
